January 17, 2007

January 15, 2007

Every year he comes up with his year’s top 25, and these lists usually serve as my “movies to watch” for the next little while.

For the year 2006, his top movie is The New World. I’ve seen it, and loved it.

In his “top 25 list” he writes how, soon after posting his Christianity Today review of the The New World, one of Malick’s relatives called him up (something this relative has never done before) and told Overstreet that he was excited to see that someone out there had understood the movie.

Wow.

Check out the rest of the list too. Overstreet does something neat this time ’round, and includes conversations with other critics and filmmakers. Very insightful.

January 3, 2007

I read this brief book review of a new book by Rick Richardson called Reimagining Evangelism: Inviting Friends on a Spiritual Journey, and it got me thinking things I want to remember:

– St. Francis telling his followers: “Preach the gospel always. And use words if necessary.”

– “…we first need to rid ourselves of this unhealthy image of evangelism as ‘closing the deal’ on some impersonal spiritual sales call.” The proposed alternative looks more like a “travel guide” who invites those around to notice what’s already there. The whole “journey” thing.

– As followers of Christ, we’re all “collaborators with the Holy Spirit in guiding people on a spirtual journey.” The job’s not just for those with a special gift, but for everyone…we’re all empowered to point others to God.

The paragraph of the review that grabbed me most was the second to last paragraph.

– Entire communities have a role in evangelism. No longer the one-to-one thing. Conversion is “not to be seen as a ‘me and God thing,’ but instead as a family affair…”